CHAPTER 3 Part 1: England Expects More....
ONE
“Good morning everyone. I am pleased to see you all here at 4 bells – coffee and some kind of toast will be along momentarily. I do know some of you have trains to catch, but early and late hours are to be our fare. I am circulating a page for each of you to see with weekly details of recent losses to U-boats. As you can guess, it is at the highest grade of secrecy. Suffice to say that if you reveal anything to anyone, your next posting will be to a powder barge in hades that will have you yearning for command of a broken sledge in the Antarctic.” Heads variously shook or nodded as their owners scanned the page or heard the warning, or just turned to gaze at the ceiling. The RNR officers, veterans of substantial careers in the Merchant Service, all took on a curiously similar and melancholy stare through the walls to an invisible horizon.
Torrance Smythe continued: “as you can see, none of us can waste any time. In fact, we will consider ourselves as if on active patrol at sea rather than ashore, and govern our work vs. the possibility of eating and sleeping against that. You will note that I made no mention of anything other than those three things. A few of us have wives or parents living nearby, and sometimes we might even get to say hello to them. But don't count on it. When you do get to go home at night you will be knackered, and due back here soon.
“Here, I'll take back that page.
“Now, Cabot, Parker, and Weldon, and your new assistants: for the rest that's Sub-Lieutenants Jenkins,* Talbot,* and Bothy,* my left to right – do I have that correct?” Smithy gestured to the left side of the room, where the RNR officers were also congregated. The three new officers, two young and one oddly older, all nodded. “Very well. I'll meet with each of you when you get back from your trip. For now a quick summary and off you all go.
“I know you spent half the night reading reports. Time is short but do you have anything significant to report to us? Weldon?”
Lieutenant Weldon, senior of the RNR officers, glanced at Cabot and Parker before speaking. “Sir, they all read pretty much as we discussed – no surprises. Ships steam along and there are just a few possibilities.
- First, they see a torpedo coming just before it hits, or it's night and they don't see it. Either way they get sunk. If its from farther away they might steer in an attempt to avoid, but usually it's too late.
- Second, they see a submarine on the surface and try to out run it – and it's gun – or they see a periscope and try to run away, forcing the sub to let them go or surface to pursue. Submerged subs only catch the slowest of ships. The only thing we can see is that the faster the ship, the more likely it can move off into darkness or squalls before a surfaced sub can catch them.
- Third, there is some kind of escort or armed merchant ship around when a sub is sighted, and that often seems to force a sub to stay submerged. In that case, the ship usually escapes. Again, cases vary depending on visibility and the speed of the ships involved.
- The only thing we can say is that the past few weeks have smashed the ancient law of the sea: you don't rush over to pick up survivors unless you want to become one.”
“Very well. Much as expected. Perhaps with your broader understanding you can pick up something else in direct interviews with the masters and mates. Teams to Liverpool, Southampton and Portsmouth, and Plymouth, with a possible trip to Bristol for the latter. Good luck to you all. Weldon, you'll be here at Southampton docks, but I only need a report if you or any of the others find something urgent.”
“Aye, sir. Thank you, sir,” Weldon replied for them all, as they filed out to head for trains, with Weldon and Sub-Lt. Bothy meeting a driver to take them to their first meeting. They would be missing the coffee.
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*Fictional officers, all are brand new RNVR.